Word origin of 'navigate'

navigate for learners of EnglishPowered by COBUILD (nævɪgeɪt)

Word forms: navigates, navigating, navigated

Definitions

1. ergative verb & verb

When someone navigates a ship or an aircraft somewhere, they decide which course to follow and steer it there. You can alsosay that a ship or an aircraft navigates somewhere. [V n] ⇒ Captain Cook safely navigated his ship without accident for 100 voyages. [V prep/adv] ⇒ The purpose of the visit was to navigate into an ice-filled fiord. [V] ⇒ ...the new navigation system which will enable aircraft to navigate with total pinpoint accuracy.

When a ship or boat navigates an area of water, it sails on or across it. [V n] ⇒ ...a lock system to allow sea-going craft to navigate the upper reaches of the river. [V prep] ⇒ Such boats can navigate on the Nile.

3. verb

When someone in a car navigates, they decide what roads the car should be driven along in order to get somewhere. [V] ⇒ When travelling on fast roads at night it is impossible to drive and navigate at the same time. [V prep/adv] ⇒ ...the relief at successfully navigating across the Golden Gate Bridge to arrive here. [V n prep] ⇒ They had just navigated their way through Maidstone on their way to the coast. [Also V n]

4. verb

When fish, animals, or insects navigate somewhere, they find the right direction to go and travel there. [V adv/prep] ⇒ In tests, the bees navigate back home after being placed in a field a mile away. [Also V]

5. verb

If you navigate an obstacle, you move carefully in order to avoidhitting the obstacle or hurting yourself. [V n] ⇒ He was not able to walk without a cane and could only navigate steps backwards. [V n prep/adv] ⇒ In the corridors he let her navigate her own way round the trolleys and other obstacles. [V prep/adv] ⇒ If guests wished to use the sofa, they had first to navigate around chairs in the middle of the room.

6. verb

If you manage to navigate a difficult situation, you deal with it successfully. [written] [V n] ⇒ During childhood each of us has to navigate a pathway through a series of developmental stages. [Vthrough n] ⇒ This outlook helped her to navigate through her later years with success.

Synonyms of 'navigate'

Trends of 'navigate'

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Translations for 'navigate'

British English: navigateVERBWhen someone navigates a ship or an aircraft somewhere, they decide which course to follow and steer it there. You can also say that a ship or an aircraft navigates somewhere.He was responsible for safely navigating his ship without accident.